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What Tillandsia for desert climate?

feedme

feedme

Hello,

I am wondering if there are Tillandsia that do better in a desert climate than others.

I have 15-30% humidity year round.
These would be indoors near a window that unfortunately faces north. (None facing south)

I have an interesting hanging potter that isn't suitable for rooted plants due to lack of drainage. It has a large circular opening through the middle of it that I would like to hang Tillandsia in.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
T.Bergeri might be worth looking at
 
Cthulhu138 said:
While not Tillandsias, you might want to look into the terrestrial bromeliads in the Puya genus. These are high desert plants from the Andes and should do well where you are. Many species resemble giant terrestrial Tillandsia and have beautiful inflorescences.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puya_(genus)

https://www.google.com/search?q=puy...#tbm=isch&q=puya+bromeliaceae&revid=666146932
Click to expand...

And since this is a carnivorous plant forum it should be mentioned that one Puya species allegedly eats sheep! Puya chilensis, The Sheep Eating Plant!
 
SubRosa said:
And since this is a carnivorous plant forum it should be mentioned that one Puya species allegedly eats sheep! Puya chilensis, The Sheep Eating Plant!
Click to expand...

hahahaha I read an article on that a few years ago. Couldn't help but laugh.
 
Dyckia and Hechtia are also good genera to look into. T. xerographica and T. duratii will also handle a decent amount of drought. Xerographica is native to dry forests and gets pounded with heat/light.
 
Do you think only having a northerly window will be a bigger problem than the low humidity.
 
For plants that live in exposed situations often at high altitude high light levels are essential.
 
Thank you for all the great feedback. I will look up all of the suggestions to read more.
 
  • #11
Generally, seems like the Tillandsias that are ok with low humidity also prefer bright light or direct sunlight and have stiffer leaves that are more silver colored and scaly/fuzzy compared to other Tillandsias. I have a few like that but I still keep them in some kind of enclosure so the humidity stays up a bit longer after I spray them. T. tectorum is the fuzziest I've seen. There are large and small forms of this species. T. paleacea is another recommended to me.
 
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  • #12
SubRosa said:
And since this is a carnivorous plant forum it should be mentioned that one Puya species allegedly eats sheep! Puya chilensis, The Sheep Eating Plant!
Click to expand...

My nephew has mentioned this plant to me a couple times. I might get one, or a clump of them, just for fun.
 
  • #13
DragonsEye said:
Found this photo of a Xerographica ... talk about a gorgeous plant!
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7061/6945274029_0d6c99277e.jpg

(You need to get some of these, Kevin, so I can mooch one off of you! :D )
Click to expand...
I just finally caught this, Paul, but I agree! I've seen a friend's in bloom, and it's stunning.

chch said:
My nephew has mentioned this plant to me a couple times. I might get one, or a clump of them, just for fun.
Click to expand...

Puyas are definitely interesting, eyecatching, and extremely drought-tolerant. However, talk about a monstrous beast of a plant. Over time it could easily fill a living room, not to mention the brutal spines.
 
  • #14
corky said:
T.Bergeri might be worth looking at
Click to expand...

Agree. I have a friend who grows T. bergeri outside all year in Palo Alto, with no supplemental moisture. This included a 12 month period with only about 3 inches of rain. It's much cooler than the low desert, but that says a lot.
 
  • #15
chch said:
My nephew has mentioned this plant to me a couple times. I might get one, or a clump of them, just for fun.
Click to expand...

I should get this plant and find a little critter skull to put in with it and then watch my nephews and nieces faces when they see it. :-))
 
  • #16
I live in a desert as well. The sonoran desert gets pretty humid in the late summer and I grow them inside a swamp cooled house under skylights, so that's a boon, but its pretty dry the rest of the year. I've had a lot of good luck from Tillandisia capult medusae, and T. caliginosa. T. cacticola is difficult to find, but grows on cacti in the peruvian deserts and can take a lot of light and heat. Noted horticulturalists in Tucson are growing T. ehlersiana outside, but in pots.

In general I would pursue tillandsias that have very succulent leaves, like T. capult medusae. You probably want to hit them with a good spray of water in between waterings to keep them hydrated, or set up a humidity tray underneath them. Good luck!
 
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